Every year on the evening of April 1, some 13,000 buildings across the globe shine bright blue in an effort to raise awareness of autism.
Autism is a general term that describes a group of developmental brain disorders in varying degrees — communication difficulties, social and behavioral challenges, and repetitive behaviors.
Seventy-million people around the world are affected by the disorder, and an estimated 1 in 68 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum.
Here are some of the world's landmarks that have shined blue on World Autism Awareness Day.
Empire State Building – New York, NY
Macau Tower – Macau, China
Christ the Redeemer – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Niagara Falls – Ontario, Canada
CN Tower – Toronto, Ontario
Times Square – New York, NY
Chamber Rotunda – Guayaquil, Ecuador
Burj Al Arab – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Great Buddha at Hyog Nofukuji Temple – Hyogo, Japan
Hungarian Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
China Millennium Monument – Beijing, China
The Taipei 101 building – Taipei City, Taiwan
World Heritage Himeji Castle – Himeji, Japan
Torre Colpatria – Bogotá, Colombia
Old Parliament House – Canberra, Australia
Tokyo Tower – Tokyo, Japan
Shanghai World Financial – Shanghai, China
Cloud Gate (AKA The Bean) – Chicago, Illinois
